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Living in Emergency

"Living in Emergency...goes beyond the adrenaline and drama to show what these far-flung doctors encounter daily—blood and pain and panic, certainly, but also their own doubts and wavering faith. What am I doing here? and Who am I actually saving? are some of the soul-searching questions that linger in the air..."

Anderson TepperVanity Fair

June 2011

For the first time ever, MSF gave a documentary crew uncensored access to its field operations. Set in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and post-conflict Liberia, "Living in Emergency" interweaves the stories of four doctors as they struggle to provide emergency medical care under extreme conditions.

About the Film

“Living in Emergency quickly takes on an emotional / dangerous / enraging quality that rivals only The Cove in its scope and complexity, and completely blows it out of the water with its topic and tone… By allowing filmmakers in for the first time, MSF has given director Mark Hopkins the opportunity to create both a calling card for the work that Doctors Without Borders does, and a cautionary tale about what it means to really help in a world that is teeming with outstretched hands.”

—LAist, November 29, 2009

Summary

For the first time ever, MSF gave a documentary crew uncensored access to its field operations. Set in war-torn Congo and post-conflict Liberia, “Living in Emergency” interweaves the stories of four doctors as they struggle to provide emergency medical care under extreme conditions. Two volunteers are new recruits: a 26-year-old Australian doctor stranded in a remote bush clinic and an American surgeon from Tennessee trying to cope under the load of emergency cases in a shattered capital city.

Two others are experienced field hands: a dynamic head of mission, valiantly trying to keep morale high and tensions under control, and an exhausted veteran, who has seen too much horror and wants out. Amid the chaos, each doctor must find their own way to face the challenges of the work, the tough choices, and the limits of their idealism.

2010 Oscar Consideration

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that "Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders" was shortlisted as one of 15 films in the Documentary Feature category for the 82nd Academy Awards®.

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